Analysts were expecting Cymer Inc. (CYMI) [Chart - News - Analysis] to report earnings of $0.17 for last quarter, but CYMI beat expectations with actual earnings of $0.36---19 cents above the consensus estimate. CYMI also issued earnings guidance for next quarter that is above current analyst expectations.

If you compare last quarter's earnings to the $0.19 the company made per share during the same quarter a year ago, you can see that CYMI’s earnings are up this year.

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Also, if you compare CYMI's 10.00% projected earnings-per-share (EPS) growth rate for the next five years with the projected EPS growth rate of 13.90% for the Semiconductor Equipment & Materials industry as a whole during that same time frame, you can see that analysts expect CYMI to underperform the industry in the future---which is a bad sign for the stock.

Drilling down a little deeper into the Semiconductor Equipment & Materials industry, you can see how analysts believe CYMI will stack up against some of the other stocks in the industry, like Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) [Chart - News - Analysis] and KLA-Tencor Corporation (KLAC) [Chart - News - Analysis], in the future. Analysts believe AMAT's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 10.67% while KLAC's earnings are going to grow at a rate of 11.67%.

Earnings season can be a volatile time in the stock market. Check out these videos and articles to be better prepared to take advantage of the large price moves that tend to accompany earnings announcements.

- Earnings Season is Here - Find Out How to Trade It

- Using Options to Trade Earnings

- Understanding Stock Analyst Research and Recommendations

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